🇨🇳Beijing
Imperial China's capital for six centuries: the Forbidden City, the Great Wall a day trip away, and hutong alleys tucked behind glass towers.
In photos
Quick facts
Money & what things cost
China runs on mobile payment — Alipay and WeChat Pay, both now set up in-app for foreign cards and tourist mode, cover almost everything from taxis to street stalls. Cash still works but exact change is genuinely rare; set up Alipay's tourist version before you land. A VPN is worth arranging in advance too, since Google, WhatsApp, and most Western apps are blocked (see Connectivity below).
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary (Beijing, urban) | ≈ ¥10,000 ($1,390) | one of China's highest-paying cities |
| Typical entry-level salary | ≈ ¥6,000–8,000 ($830–1,110) | |
| Minimum wage (Beijing) | ¥26.4/hour (≈ $3.70) | monthly minimum ≈ ¥2,420 |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Street snack (jianbing, baozi) | ¥8–15 | $1.10–2.10 |
| Noodle or dumpling shop meal | ¥20–35 | $2.80–4.90 |
| Sit-down restaurant, per person | ¥60–120 | $8.30–17 |
| Peking duck dinner, per person | ¥150–300 | $21–42 |
| Bubble tea / coffee | ¥18–30 | $2.50–4.20 |
| Local beer at a bar | ¥15–30 | $2.10–4.20 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Subway ride (distance-based) | ¥3–9 | $0.40–1.25 |
| Bus ride | ¥2 | $0.30 |
| Didi (ride-hail) across town | ¥25–50 | $3.50–7.00 |
| Taxi flag fare | ¥13 | $1.80 |
| Airport Express train (PEK → city) | ¥25 | $3.50 |
| Didi from PEK or PKX airport | ¥100–180 | $14–25 |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | ¥60–120 ($8.00–17) | Courtyard hostels near the hutongs are a highlight |
| Budget hotel | ¥250–400 ($35–56) | Chains like Jinjiang Inn are reliable and simple |
| Mid-range hotel | ¥400–800 ($55–110) | Often includes a decent breakfast and gym |
| Luxury | ¥1,500+ ($210+) | Courtyard-style five-star properties near the Forbidden City |
Getting around
- From the airport
- PEK (Capital): Airport Express train to city center in ~20 min for ¥25, or Didi (China's Uber) for ¥100–180. PKX (Daxing), newer and further south: express rail into the city in ~20 min. Set up Didi's English interface and a payment method before you land.
- Subway
- Vast, cheap, and signed in English and pinyin. Security screening (bags through an X-ray) happens at every station entrance — budget a few extra minutes. Buy a Yikatong transit card or just tap a linked phone wallet.
- Didi & taxis
- Didi is the default — book in the app, no language barrier, fixed estimate up front. Street taxis are cheap but drivers rarely speak English; have your destination written in Chinese characters (your hotel can print this) or shown on a translation app.
- On foot & bike share
- Central Beijing's boulevards are wide and can eat a lot of walking time; the hutong neighborhoods are the exception — narrow, atmospheric, made for wandering. Shared bikes (Meituan, HelloBike) are everywhere but usually need a Chinese phone number to register.
Neighborhoods to stay in
- Dongcheng (around the Forbidden City)
- Hutong courtyards, walkable to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen — the classic first-timer base.
- Wangfujing
- Central shopping street, glossy hotels, everything within reach on foot.
- Sanlitun / Chaoyang
- Beijing's modern, international side — nightlife, embassies, international dining.
- Houhai / Shichahai
- Lakeside hutongs, bars, and a genuinely local evening scene near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Tipping & etiquette
- Loud, direct conversation and haggling in markets are normal — it's not rudeness, it's how business happens.
- Present and receive business cards or gifts with both hands as a small sign of respect.
- Queuing has improved enormously in tourist areas, but expect firmer elbows than you're used to on public transit.
- Avoid the topics of Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang politics with people you've just met — not because of danger to you, but because it puts your host in an awkward spot.
- Spitting and smoking indoors are more common than Western visitors expect, even where signs say otherwise.
Safety & common scams
Beijing is very safe for violent crime — walking alone at night in the main tourist and hotel districts is unremarkable. The bigger practical hurdles are the language barrier, the Great Firewall (see Connectivity), and the sheer scale of the city rather than any personal danger.
Scams to know
- 'Tea ceremony' invitations near Tiananmen and Wangfujing — a friendly local invites you to a tea house, and the bill for a few cups arrives at $100+. Politely decline unsolicited invitations to 'experience local culture' from strangers.
- Unlicensed 'black cabs' outside train stations and airports quoting inflated flat fares — use Didi or the metered taxi queue instead.
- Fake or reprinted 'antiques' sold as genuine at tourist markets — treat any market antique as decorative, not investment-grade, unless you really know the field.
Emergency numbers: 110 (police) · 120 (ambulance) · 119 (fire) — English-language support is limited; your hotel can translate if needed
Phone & internet
Get an eSIM (China Unicom/China Mobile via Airalo, or a physical tourist SIM at the airport) — you will need data constantly, since paper maps and ad-hoc English signage only go so far. Critically: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and most Western apps are blocked by the Great Firewall. Set up a reputable VPN on your phone and laptop before you leave home — it's far harder to install one once you've landed. Alipay and WeChat both work without a VPN and double as translation and payment tools.
First-timer FAQs
Do I need a visa?
Most Western passport holders need a visa arranged in advance — apply at a Chinese embassy/consulate or via an approved agent several weeks ahead. Some nationalities qualify for a 144-hour visa-free transit if flying onward through Beijing, with restrictions — check the current rules carefully, as they change.
Will I be able to get by without Mandarin?
Yes, with real preparation: install a translation app with offline/camera mode before you land (since you may not have data or VPN access right away), set up Didi and Alipay in English, and save your hotel's address in Chinese characters. Major sights have English signage; small local spots mostly don't.
Can I use my credit card?
Rarely outside international hotels — the country runs on Alipay/WeChat Pay, both of which now accept foreign cards for a tourist mode. Set this up before you go; it's far smoother than arriving and improvising.
Is the Great Wall doable as a day trip?
Yes. Mutianyu (restored, cable car available, less crowded) and Badaling (most-visited, most infrastructure) are both under two hours from central Beijing. Jinshanling is further but wilder and more photogenic — worth it if you have a full day.
How many days do I need?
Four days covers the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, a hutong evening, and a full-day Great Wall trip. Many itineraries pair Beijing with Shanghai via a 4.5-hour high-speed train.